Security screening lines stretched well beyond the departure halls at Rome-Fiumicino (FCO) and Rome-Ciampino (CIA) on 6 July as 75 % of Aeroporti di Roma Security employees walked off the job in an eight-hour strike called by the FAST-Confsal union. Workers are demanding additional staffing and revised shift patterns, arguing that the full roll-out of the EU’s Entry/Exit System has increased their workload without a matching rise in headcount. Airport management deployed non-striking staff and police officers to keep at least two lanes per terminal open, but wait times peaked at 70 minutes in the early afternoon, according to the Airport Operations Centre. Impact was felt most acutely by intercontinental departures, with several long-haul flights reporting delayed boarding. Business travellers transiting through the Italian capital during the summer conference season were advised to arrive a minimum of three hours before departure. Carriers such as ITA Airways and easyJet issued travel waivers allowing free rebooking within seven days.
![75 % of security staff join strike at Rome’s Fiumicino and Ciampino airports]()
While rebooking flights addresses schedule disruptions, travellers should also verify that their travel documents remain valid for the new dates. VisaHQ’s online platform can expedite Italian visa extensions, Schengen renewals, and other consular paperwork, offering digital applications, door-to-door courier options, and real-time status alerts—particularly valuable when airport operations are unpredictable.
Although the action ended without incident, unions warned that further stoppages are possible if talks scheduled for 15 July fail. Companies with time-sensitive mobility moves or client meetings in Rome should monitor negotiations closely and consider routing key personnel via Milan or Bologna if fresh disruptions are announced. Tip for travel managers: remind assignees that fast-track services such as “Accésso Rapido” at FCO can be purchased online and remain operational even during labour actions, potentially shaving 30 minutes off security wait times.
While rebooking flights addresses schedule disruptions, travellers should also verify that their travel documents remain valid for the new dates. VisaHQ’s online platform can expedite Italian visa extensions, Schengen renewals, and other consular paperwork, offering digital applications, door-to-door courier options, and real-time status alerts—particularly valuable when airport operations are unpredictable.
Although the action ended without incident, unions warned that further stoppages are possible if talks scheduled for 15 July fail. Companies with time-sensitive mobility moves or client meetings in Rome should monitor negotiations closely and consider routing key personnel via Milan or Bologna if fresh disruptions are announced. Tip for travel managers: remind assignees that fast-track services such as “Accésso Rapido” at FCO can be purchased online and remain operational even during labour actions, potentially shaving 30 minutes off security wait times.
